PERSONAL  NARRATIVES 


OF  EVENTS  IN  THE 


WAR  OF  THE  REBELLION, 

BEING  PAPERS  READ  BEFORE  THE 

RHODE  ISLAND  SOLDIERS  AND  SAILORS 
HISTORICAL  SOCIETY. 


THIRD  SERIES  — No.  14. 


PROVIDENCE  I 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SOCIETY. 

1885. 


PROVIDENCE  PRESS  COMPANY,  PRINTERS. 


FRONTIER  SERVICE  DORIHG  THE  REBELLION; 


OR,  A 


HISTORY  OF  COMPANY  K, 


FIRST  INFANTRY,  CALIFORNIA  VOLUNTEERS. 


GEORGE   H.   PETTIS, 
// 

[Brevet  Captain  United  States  Volunteers;  Late  First  Lieutenant  Company  K, 

First  California  Infantry,  and  First  Lieutenant  and 

Adjutant  First  New  Mexico  Infantry.] 


PROVIDENCE: 
PUBLISHED  BY  THE  SOCIETY. 

1885. 


[Edition  limited  to  two  hundred  and  fifty  copies.] 


FEONTIEE  SEEYICE  DURING  THE  REBELLION, 


THE  first  battle  of  Bull  Run  had  been  fought.  The 
government  had  become  satisfied  that  the  slavehold- 
er's rebellion  was  not  to  be  put  down  with  seventy- 
five  thousand  men.  The  Union  people  of  the  United 
States  now  fully  realized  that  the  rebels  were  to  use 
every  effort  on  their  part  towards  the  establishment 
of  the  Confederacy,  and  the  men  of  the  north,  on 
their  part,  were  ready  to  "  mutally  pledge  to  each 
other  our  lives,  our  fortunes,  and  our  sacred  honor" 
to  preserve  the  government  as  their  fathers  before 
them  had  pledged  themselves  to  establish  it.  The 
loyal  States  were  ready  to  respond  to  any  demand 
made  upon  them  by  the  government,  and  there  were 
none  more  anxious  to  do  their  duty  to  the  old  flag 
than  the  Union  men  of  California. 

The  people  of  that  far  distant  part  of  our  country 
were,  in  the  early  days  of  our  "late  unpleasantness," 


b  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

stirred  to  their  very  depths.  A  large  portion  of  the 
inhabitants  had  emigrated  from  the  southern  States, 
and  were,  therefore,  in  sympathy  with  their  brethren 
at  home.  General  wfe  Johnston  was  in  command  of 
the  military  department,  and  a  majority  of  the  regular 
officers  under  him  were  sympathizers  with  the  rebel- 
lion, as  were  a  majority  of  the  State  officers.  The 
United  States  gunboat  "Wyoming,"  lying  in  the 
harbor  of  San  Francisco  in  the  early  part  of  '61,  was 
officered  by  open  advocates  of  secession,  and  only 
by  the  secret  coming  of  General  E.  V.  Sumner,  who 
arrived  by  steamer  one  fine  morning  in  the  early 
part  of  '61,  totally  unknown  and  unannounced,  and 
presenting  himself  at  the  army  headquarters  on 
Washington  street,  San  Francisco,  without  delay, 
with,  "Is  this  Gen.  Johnston?"  "Yes,  sir."  "I 
am  General  E.  V.  Sumner,  United  States  Army, 
and  do  now  relieve  you  of  the  command  of  this 
department,"  at  the  same  time  delivering  the  orders 
to  this  effect  from  the  War  Department  at  Washing- 
ton, were  the  people  of  the  Pacific  States  saved  from 
a  contest  which  would  have  been  more  bitter,  more 
fierce,  and  more  unrelenting  than  was  exhibited  in 


DUKING    THE    REBELLION. 


any  part  of  the  United  States  during  all  those  long 
four  years  of  the  war. 


ERRATUM. 


On  pages  6  and  7  read  for  "General  Joe  John- 
ston," General  Albert  Sidney  Johnston. 


war  had  been  driven  from  their  doors.  Many  or  tne 
secession  leaders,  with  General  eto' Johnston,  seeing 
their  plans  miscarry,  left  the  State  shortly  after,  and 
did  service  in  the  Confederate  armies. 

On  the  steamer  from  the  States  that  brought  the 
news  to  California  of  the  disaster  at  Bull  Run,  came 
orders  from  President  Lincoln  for  that  State  to  fur- 
ish  its  quota  of  men  for  the  Union  army.  The  same 
afternoon,  the  Franklin  Light  Infantry,  a  militia 


6  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

stirred  to  their  very  depths.     A  large  portion  of  the 


Washington  street,  San  Francisco,  without  delay, 
with,  "Is  this  Gen.  Johnston?"  "Yes,  sir."  "I 
am  General  E.  V.  Sumner,  United  States  Army, 
and  do  now  relieve  you  of  the  command  of  this 
department,"  at  the  same  time  delivering  the  orders 
to  this  effect  from  the  War  Department  at  Washing- 
ton, were  the  people  of  the  Pacific  States  saved  from 
a  contest  which  would  have  been  more  bitter,  more 
fierce,  and  more  unrelenting  than  was  exhibited  in 


DUKING    THE    KEBELLION.  7 

any  part  of  the  United  States  during  all  those  long 
four  years  of  the  war. 

As  I  have  said  before,  the  prompt  and  secret 
action  of  the  government  and  that  gallant  old  soldier, 
General  E.  Y.  Sumner  (for  you  all  will  remember 
that  California  had  no  railroads  and  telegraphs  in 
those  days),  prevented  civil  war  there.  The  seces- 
sionists, who  were  preparing  to  take  possession  of 
the  property  of  the  government  in  that  department 
and  turn  the  guns  of  Alcatraz,  Fort  Point  and  the 
Presidio  upon  the  loyalists,  were  taken  completely 
aback  ;  they  delayed  action.  General  Sumner  took 
all  precautions  against  surprise,  and  the  Union  men 
of  the  Pacific  States  breathed  free  again,  for  civil 

war  had  been  driven  from  their  doors.     Many  of  the 

Jfa'f ' 
secession  leaders,  with  General  jSe  Johnston,  seeing 

their  plans  miscarry,  left  the  State  shortly  after,  and 
did  service  in  the  Confederate  armies. 

On  the  steamer  from  the  States  that  brought  the 
news  to  California  of  the  disaster  at  Bull  Kun,  came 
orders  from  President  Lincoln  for  that  State  to  fur- 
ish  its  quota  of  men  for  the  Union  army.  The  same 
afternoon,  the  Franklin  Light  Infantry,  a  militia 


8  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

company,  composed  of  printers  only,  held  a  meeting 
at  its  armory  on  Sacramento  street,  and  voted  unani- 
mously to  offer  their  services  to  the  government, 
which  was  accordingly  done,  and  they  were  the  first 
company  that  was  mustered  into  the  United  States 
service  in  California,  and  was  afterwards  known  as 
Company  B,  First  Infantry,  California  Volunteers, 
and  were  officered  as  follows  :  Captain,  Valentine 
Drescher;  First  Lieutenant,  Francis  S.  Mitchell; 
Second  Lieutenant,  George  H.  Pettis.  Other  com- 
panies were  soon  formed,  and  the  regiment,  with  nine 
companies,  went  into  camp  of  instruction  at  Camp 
Downey,  near  Oakland. 

The  regiment  had  been  in  camp  but  a  few  days 
when  it  was  ordered  to  proceed  by  steamer  to  Los 
Angeles,  in  Southern  California.  The  transfer  was 
made,  and  the  regiment  went  into  camp  about  nine 
miles  from  Los  Angeles,  on  the  seashore,  where  the 
town  of  Santa  Monica  now  is.  The  First  Battalion 
Cavalry,  California  Volunteers,  consisting  of  five 
companies,  under  command  of  Lieutenant  Colonel 
Davis,  who  was  afterwards  killed  before  Richmond, 
also  accompanied  us.  In  a  few  days  after  the  estab- 


DURING    THE    REBELLION.  9 

lishment  of  this  camp,  Lieutenant  Pettis,  of  Com- 
pany B,  was  sent  on  detached  duty  as  recruiting 
officer  to  San  Francisco,  in  order  that  the  nine  com- 
panies now  in  camp  should  be  filled  to  the  maximum 
standard.  The  tenth  company  had  not  been  admit- 
ted to  the  regiment  as  yet,  although  several  had  made 
application  for  the  position. 

Lieutenant  Pettis  arrived  in  San  Francisco  about 
the  fifteenth  of  October,  and  immediately  commenced 
business  by  opening  his  recruiting  office  on  the  cor- 
ner of  Montgomery  and  CJay  streets,  in  the  same 
building  with  the  Morning  Call.  He  was  success- 
ful, as  by  the  fifteenth  of  January  he  had  recruited 
and  sent  to  the  regiment  one  hundred  and  two  men, 
and  was  ordered  by  General  George  Wright,  then 
commanding  the  department  of  California  (and  who 
was  afterwards  lost  on  the  steamer  "  Brother  Jona- 
than "  on  his  way  to  Oregon) ,  to  close  his  office  and 
join  his  regiment  at  Camp  Latham.  In  the  mean- 
time, four  companies  of  the  regiment,  under  Major 
E.  A.  Kigg,  had  proceeded  to  Fort  Yuma,  on  the 
Colorado  river,  and  relieved  the  regulars  who  were 
there.  Captain  Winfield  Scott  Hancock,  Assistant 


10  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

Quartermaster  United  States  Army,  had  also  been 
relieved  and  ordered  to  the  States.  He  had  been  on 
duty  at  Los  Angeles.  Three  companies  of  the  regi- 
ment had  been  ordered  to  Warner's  Kanch,  about 
half  way  between  Los  Angeles  and  Fort  Yuma,  and 
established  Camp  Wright.  On  the  twelfth  of  Feb- 
ruary, orders  had  been  received  by  Colonel  J.  H. 
Carleton,  commanding  the  regiment,  to  form  the  tenth 
company  of  his  regiment  from  the  recruits  enlisted 
in  San  Francisco  by  Lieutenant  Pettis.  Company 
K,  First  Infantry,  California  Volunteers,  was  thus 
formed,  and  was  officered  as  follows :  Captain, 
Nicholas  S.  Davis,  promoted  from  First  Lieutenant 
of  Company  A ;  First  Lieutenant,  George  H.  Pettis, 
promoted  from  Second  Lieutenant  of  Company  B  ; 
Second  Lieutenant,  Jeremiah  Phelan,  appointed 
from  Hospital  Steward  of  the  regular  army. 

In  the  meantime,  the  government  at  Washington 
had  received  information  that  General  H.  H.  Sibley 
had  left  San  Antonio,  Texas,  with  about  three  thou- 
sand seven  hundred  rebel  soldiers  for  New  Mexico, 
and  as  the  "government  had  immense  stores  of  cloth- 
ing, camp  and  garrison  equipage,  and  commissary 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  11 

stores  in  different  posts  in  that  Territory  and  Ari- 
zona, with  but  few  troops  to  defend  them,  and  a 
majority  of  the  officers  avowed  secessionists,  the  rebels 
expected  an  easy  conquest.  Accordingly,  Colonel 
Carleton  had  orders  to  organize  what  was  known  as 
the  "California  Column,"  which  consisted  of  the 
First  and  Fifth  Infantry,  California  Volunteers, 
(George  W.  Bowie  was  Colonel  of  the  Fifth  Infantry, 
California  Volunteers)  ;  First  Battalion  Cavalry, 
California  Volunteers ;  Company  B,  Captain  John 
C.  Cremoney,  Second  Cavalry,  California  Volun- 
teers, and  Light  Battery  A,  Third  United  States 
Artillery,  Captain  John  B.  Shinn. 

That  an  idea  may  be  obtained  of  the  difficulties  of 
this  enterprise,  I  will  say  that  it  is  about  nine  hun- 
dred miles  from  Los  Angeles  to  the  Kio  Grande,  not 
a  pound  of  food  or  of  forage  was  to  be  obtained  on 
the  route,  and  everything  to  be  consumed  had  to  be 
brought  from  California.  Neither  was  there,  as  we 
afterwards  ascertained,  a  single  resident  in  all  that 
long  march,  except  at  Fort  Yuma.  The  country 
through  which  the  "  Column "  passed  was  without 
water,  and  the  Colorado  and  Gila  Deserts  to  be 


12  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

crossed  before  we  should  come  in  sight  of  the  green 
cottonwoods  of  the  Rio  Grande.  The  Apache 
Indians  supposed  that  they  had  driven  all  the  whites 
out  of  the  Territory  of  Arizona,  and  the  former  re- 
quired constant  watching  and  attention.  In  conse- 
quence of  the  scarcity  of  water  on  the  route,  the 
"Column"  could  only  be  moved  in  detachments. 

Companies  K  and  C,  First  Infantry,  and  Company 
G,  Fifth  Infantry,  Captain  Hugh  L.  Hinds,  left 
Captain  Latham  about  the  first  of  March,  1862, 
under  command  of  Captain  William  McMullen,  of 
Company  C,  and  arrived  at  Camp  Wright  in  due 
season,  it  being  about  one  hundred  and  forty  miles. 
The  only  incident  on  this  march  worthy  of  mention 
was,  that  when  the  battalion  marched  through  the 
town  of  Los  Angeles  the  American  flag  had  been 
hauled  down  from  the  court  house.  As  it  was  well 
known  that  the  people  of  Los  Angeles  at  that  time 
were  nearly  all  strong  in  their  sympathies  with  the 
rebellion,  it  was  thought  that  the  hauling  down  of  the 
flag  was  to  insult  the  command.  Consequently,  on 
the  arrival  of  the  battalion  on  the  banks  of  the  Los 
Angeles  river,  which  flows  on  the  eastern  side  of  the 


DURING   THE   REBELLION.  13 

town,  it  was  halted  and  Captain  McMullen  returned, 
and,  finding  some  of  the  town  officials,  insisted  that 
the  flag  should  be  hoisted  immediately.  The  citizens 
denied  any  intended  insult  to  the  flag,  and  proceeded 
to  replace  it,  which  being  seen  by  the  men  of  the 
battalion,  they  gave  three  cheers,  and  continued  on 
their  way. 

A  delay  of  a  couple  of  weeks  at  Camp  Wright, 
when  orders  were  received  by  Lieutenant  Colonel 
J.  R.  West,  of  the  First  Infantry,  commanding  at 
Camp  Wright,  to  organize  the  advance  detachment 
of  the  "  Column,"  to  consist  of  Companies  K  and  C, 
First  Infantry,  California  Volunteers,  and  Companies 
B  and  Gr,  Fifth  Infantry,  California  Volunteers,  and 
proceed  without  delay  to  Fort  Yuma.  The  com- 
mand as  above  constituted  left  camp  at  a  late  hour 
in  the  afternoon,  and  after  a  short  march  made  camp 
beside  a  laguna,  or  pond.  It  rained  during  the  night, 
and  daylight  found  us  at  breakfast,  which  was 
quickly  dispatched,  and  we  were  soon  on  our  march, 
the  road  continually  ascending.  At  nine  o'clock  in 
forenoon  we  had  reached  the  line  of  snow,  where 
2 


14  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

it  was  snowing  heavily.  At  noon  we  had  reached 
the  summit,  and  found  the  snow  about  two  feet  in 
depth,  and  as  cold  as  Greenland.  A  short  halt  was 
made,  when  great  fires  were  built  to  warm  the  men, 
and  then  the  command  moved  down  the  mountain. 
At  three  o'clock  in  the  afternoon  we  passed  through 
the  line  of  snow,  shortly  after  through  the  precipi- 
tous canon  of  San  Felipe,  and  towards  evening  went 
into  camp,  the  grass  being  more  than  knee  high,  the 
air  redolent  with  the  perfume  of  flowers  and  the 
sweet  melody  of  the  birds. 

A  short  march  the  next  day  brought  us  to  Las  Dos 
Palmas,  or  the  "Two  Palms,"  so  called  from  the  fact 
that  two  luxuriant  palm  trees  formerly  flourished 
here,  the  stumps  of  which  were  then  to  be  seen. 
Thence  to  Carizo  Creek,  nine  miles,  where  the  com- 
mand rested  one  day.  Here  commences  the  then 
much-dreaded  Colorado  Desert.  For  more  than  a 
hundred  miles  we  were  at  the  mercy  of  its  sands  and 
storms  and  burning  sun.  Such  another  scene  of 
desolation  does  not  exist  on  the  American  continent ; 
treeless  mountains  on  either  side,  brown  and  sombre 
to  their  very  tops ;  no  signs  of  life  were  to  be  seen 


DURING    THE    REBELLION.  15 

anywhere.  Although  it  was  in  the  first  days  of  April, 
still  the  sun  poured  down  with  an  intensity  that  I 
had  never  before  experienced,  no  shade  could  be 
found,  and  the  very  water  in  the  creek  could  not  be 
bathed  in — being  more  fit  for  cooking  than  bathing, 
it  being  so  hot.  Such  was  the  Colorado  Desert  as 
we  approached  it.  What  will  it  be  further  on  ?  We 
shall  see. 

The  command  left  camp  at  Carizo  Creek  in  the 
middle  of  the  afternoon,  and  continued  the  march 
until  midnight,  when  we  arrived  at  Sackett's  Wells. 
Here  it  was  supposed  a  ration  of  water  for  the  men 
would  be  found,  but  upon  examination  it  was  ascer- 
tained that  somebody  had  knocked  the  bottom  out 
of  the  well,  and  no  water  was  to  be  obtained,  except 
such  as  could  be  caught  in  cups  as  it  trickled  drop 
by  drop  from  the  strata  of  clay  that  had  heretofore 
formed  the  bottom  of  the  well.  No  camp  could  be 
made  here,  and  the  command  moved  on,  marching 
until  about  ten  o'clock  in  the  morning,  when  we 
arrived  at  the  Indian  Wells,  having  made  thirty-two 
miles.  A  large  number  of  the  men  were  now  suf- 
fering for  the  want  of  water,  and  the  animals,  upon 


16  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

discovering  the  green  bushes  in  the  distance,  near 
these  wells,  pricked  their  ears,  and  every  exertion 
was  required  by  riders  and  drivers  to  prevent  a 
stampede,  so  much  were  they  in  want  of  water. 
Upon  our  arrival  it  was  found  that  but  a  few  buckets 
of  water  was  in  the  well,  as  a  detachment  of  cavalry 
had  made  camp  there  the  day  before,  and  had  only 
left  upon  seeing  our  command  approach,  using  all 
the  water  in  the  well  for  their  animals  before  leav- 
ing. However,  guards  were  placed  over  the  well, 
men  sent  down  to  pass  the  water  up  as  it  collected, 
and  in  the  course  of  a  few  hours  the  men  had  each 
received  his  pint  of  water ;  then  the  animals  were 
furnished. 

Before  the  water  had  all  been  distributed,  one  of 
those  terrible  sand  storms  for  which  this  desert  is 
renowned  began,  and  as  the  sun  went  down  it  was 
at  its  very  height.  Neither  man  nor  animal  could 
face  this  shower  of  stones  and  gravel,  and  the  sand 
and  dust  penetrated  everything.  The  only  thing 
that  was  to  be  done  was  to  throw  oneself  down  upon 
his  face,  draw  his  blankets  around  him,  and  ride  it 
out,  sleeping.  The  storm  continued  through  the 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  17 

night,  and  before  dawn  approached  it  had  ceased, 
and  upon  crawling  out  of  my  sand  bank,  I  saw  in  all 
directions  what  appeared  to  be  graves,  but  they  were 
only  mounds  of  sand  that  had  been  formed  by  the 
storm  over  the  bodies  of  the  soldiers.  Imagine,  if 
you  can,  near  four  hundred  of  these  mounds  becom- 
ing animate  and  dissolving  in  the  desert,  as  reveille 
sounded. 

At  about  noon  the  command  moved  on,  and  after 
marching  twenty-five  miles  arrived  at  Alamo  Mucho 
at  about  two  o'clock  in  the  morning.  Here  was 
found  a  well  that  would  have  furnished  water  for  an 
army  corps  —  sweet,  cold  water.  It  was  a  pleasure 
to  look  at  this,  to  hold  it  in  a  tin  cup,  look  at  it, 
take  a  mouthful,  holding  it  there  a  time  before  swal- 
lowing it ;  it  seemed  a  sin  to  drink  it.  This  water 
was  not  taken  on  the  point  of  the  bayonet,  as  water 
had  been  taken  for  the  past  four  days,  and  we  had 
marched  sixty-six  miles  from  Los  Dos  Palmos  since 
we  had  our  fill  of  water.  After  the  men  had  satis- 
fied their  thirst  they  spread  their  blankets  wherever 
they  pleased,  and  there  was  no  person  in  that  com- 
mand, except  the  guard,  that  was  not  soon  in  the 
arms  of  Morpheus. 


18  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

Before  daylight  another  sand  storm  commenced, 
and  when  reveille  was  beat  off,  not  a  dozen  men  were 
in  line,  and  they  were  only  brought  out  of  their  sand 
hills  by  beating  the  long  roll.  The  storm  subsided 
in  the  early  afternoon,  when  the  command  moved  on, 
making  Gardiner's  Wells,  twelve  miles,  before  sun- 
down, where  was  found  a  fine  well  with  plenty  of 
water,  but  none  of  the  command  wanted  any,  the 
only  objection  being,  and  that  a  slight  one,  that 
there  was  standing  above  the  level  of  the  water  in 
the  well,  a  pair  of  boots — and  a  dead  man  in  them. 
Seven  Wells  was  soon  reached,  and,  as  the  name 
implies,  there  were  plenty  of  wells,  but  there  was  no 
water.  Thence  to  Cook's  Well,  twelve  miles,  with 
plenty  of  good  water,  thence  fourteen  miles  to  the 
Colorado  river,  at  Algodones.  The  next  day,  before 
noon,  the  command  arrived  at  Fort  Yuma  and  went 
into  camp.  Here  we  met  Don  Pascual,  a  head  chief 
of  the  Yumas,  Don  Diego  Jaeger,  and  the  "Great 
Western,"  three  of  the  most  celebrated  characters  in 
the  annals  of  Fort  Yuma. 

It  was  supposed  that  our  command  was  to  consti- 
tute the  advance  of  the  "Column"  from  Fort  Yuma. 


DURING   THE   REBELLION.  19 

But  upon  our  arrival  at  that  point,  we  found  that  a 
reconnoitering  party,  consisting  of  Company  I,  First 
California  Infantry,  Captain  W.  P.  Calloway ;  Com- 
pany A,  First  California  Cavalry,  Captain  William 
McLeave,  and  Lieutenant  Phelan,  with  detach- 
ments for  two  mountain  howitzers,  had  been  sent 
up  the  Gila  river,  as  the  Indians  had  reported  that  a 
large  body  of  rebels  were  advancing  on  Fort  Yuma 
from  Tucson.  On  the  third  day  after  our  arrival  we 
crossed  over  the  Colorado  river  and  continued  our 
march.  We  passed  the  divide  between  the  Colorado 
and  Gila  rivers,  and  arrived  at  Gila  City  that  after- 
noon, eighteen  miles.  Our  route  was  the  old  over- 
land stage  route  on  the  south  side  of  the  Gila.  Here 
we  first  saw  that  peculiar  and  picturesque  cactus,  so 
characteristic  of  the  country,  called  by  the  Indians 
"petayah"  but  more  generally  known  as  the  "suaro" 
and  recognized  by  botanists  as  the  "Cereus  grandeus." 
Our  next  march  was  to  Filibuster  camp,  eleven 
miles;  thence  to  Antelope  Peak,  fifteen^  Mohawk, 
twelve ;  Texas  Hill,  eleven ;  Stanwix,  seventeen ; 
Burke's,  twelve  miles.  Here  we  found  the  recon- 
noitering party,  under  Captain  Calloway,  that  had 


20  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

left  Fort  Yuina  a  few  days  before  our  arrival  there. 
They  had  had  a  brush  with  the  rebels  at  Picacho, 
a  point  about  forty-five  miles  west  of  Tucson.  Lieu- 
tenant Barrett,  Company  A,  First  Cavalry,  Califor- 
nia Volunteers,  and  three  men  of  the  same  company, 
had  been  killed.  They  had  secured  three  rebel 
prisoners.  The  poor  devils  were  under  guard  beneath 
some  cottonwoods  in  -their  camp.  They  were  now 
on  their  return  to  Fort  Yuma. 

The  next  morning  our  command  moved  out  with 
more  alacrity  than  usual,  for  we  felt  that  we  were 
now  the  advance  of  the  "  Column,"  and  we  would 
meet  the  rebels,  too.  A  short  march  of  twelve 
miles  brought  us  to  Oatman  Flat.  We  had  come 
down  from  the  high  mesa  lands  into  this  valley,  and 
as  we  passed  through  near  the  middle  of  it,  saw  upon 
the  right  side  of  the  road  a  small  enclosure  of  rails, 
on  one  end  of  which  was  inscribed  "  The  Oatman 
Family."  We  had  all  heard  of  this  tragedy  years 
before,  and  now  we  were  upon  the  spot  where  the 
terrible  massacre  had  been  perpetrated.  No  one  of 
us  could  look  upon  this  humble  monument  without 
awakening  a  feeling  of  revenge,  and  many  were  the 


DURING   THE   REBELLION.  21 

silent  pledges  given  that  day  that  when  the  oppor- 
tunity should  offer,  that  at  least  one  shot  would  be 
given  for  these  silent  victims  to  Indian  treachery. 
One  officer  was  so  affected  that  he  approached  Col- 
onel J.  R.  West,  our  commanding  officer,  with  the 
interrogatory:  "Colonel,  if  we  should  at  anytime 
meet  any  of  these  Indians,  what  course  should  be 
pursued  towards  them?"  "Tell  your  men  when 
they  see  a  head,  hit  it  if  they  can ! "  was  the  Col- 
onel's quick  rejoinder.  You  may  think  this  to  have 
been  rather  harsh,  but  remember  we  were  standing 
above  the  remains  of  the  innocent  victims  of  a  most 
terrible  tragedy. 

A  few  miles  after  leaving  Oatman's  Flat  we  came 
to  a  pile  of  immense  boulders  in  the  centre  of  a 
pleasant  valley.  These  were  the  famous  "Pedras 
Pintados,"  or  painted  rocks.  A  march  of  fourteen 
miles  brought  the  command  to  Kenyon's.  The  next 
day,  after  sixteen  miles  marching,  we  arrived  at 
Gila  Bend.  Here  we  lay  over  a  day,  as  our  next 
march  was  to  be  to  the  Maricopa  Wells,  forty  miles 
distant,  the  dreaded  Gila  Desert.  After  marching 
all  night  and  all  of  the  next  day,  we  approached  the 


22  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

Maricopa  Wells  at  about  twelve  o'clock  on  the  sec- 
ond night.  When  within  a  mile  of  this  point,  a 
small  reconnoitering  party  that  had  been  sent  ahead 
of  our  command,  met  us  and  reported  that  a  large 
force  of  the  rebels  had  possession  of  the  wells,  and 
from  appearances  intended  to  prevent  our  command 
from  reaching  there.  This  report  served  to  put  new 
life  into  everybody,  notwithstanding  that  the  whole 
command  had  now  been  without  sleep  for  over  forty 
hours,  had  marched  forty  miles  and  w^as  somewhat 
fatigued.  One  company  was  thrown  out  as  skir- 
mishers, the  rest  of  the  command  in  line  of  battle. 
We  approached  the  watering  place,  and  when  we 
arrived  there,  instead  of  finding  a  formidable  enemy, 
we  found  a  half  a  dozen  of  our  own  cavalry  that  had 
been  scouting  ahead  of  the  command.  We  found 
the  water  strongly  impregnated  with  alkali,  but  it 
served  to  assuage  our  thirst. 

A  short  march  of  ten  miles  then  brought  us  to  the 
Casa  Blanca,  the  largest  village  of  the  Pimo  Indians. 
Our  command  remained  here  for  several  weeks, 
until  at  least  a  large  part  of  the  "Column"  had 
arrived,  and  large  stores  of  commissaries  and  forage 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  23 

had  been  collected.  Our  Indian  scouts  and  spies 
brought  every  few  days  extravagant  reports  of  the 
force  of  rebels  at  Tucson,  and  they  all  agreed  that 
when  our  troops  should  reach  that  point,  we  would 
meet  with  a  warm  reception,  and  that  rifle-pits,  suffi- 
ciently manned,  extended  a  long  ways  on  either  side 
of  the  town.  These  Indians  were  on  the  best  of 
terms  with  us,  as  they  had  sold  large  amounts  of 
their  produce  to  our  command,  for  which  they  had 
been  promptly  and  abundantly  paid — a  different  ex- 
perience when  the  rebels  were  there.  They  had 
been  employed  by  our  quartermaster's  department 
as  herders  of  our  beef  cattle,  and  were  paid  to  their 
own  satisfaction  for  all  services  they  had  rendered, 
but  no  inducement  that  our  commander  offered  them, 
no  amount  of  pay,  could  influence  any  one  of  them 
to  accompany  us  towards  Tucson,  so  assured  were 
they  that  we  were  to  be  "  wiped  out "  before  we 
should  reach  there. 

On  or  about  the  twelfth  day  of  May,  1862,  the 
advance,  constituted  as  before  stated,  with  B  Com- 
pany, California  Cavalry,  Captain  Emil  Fritz,  added, 
left  the  peaceful  and  hospitable  homes  of  the  Pimos, 


24  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

and  arrived  at  the  Sacatone,  twelve  miles.  Here  we 
left  the  overland  mail  road,  which  we  had  followed 
since  leaving  Los  Angeles,  and  keeping  up  the  south 
bank  of  the  Gila  to  White's  Ranch ;  thence  to  the 
celebrated  ruins  of  the  Casa  Blanca,  so  graphically 
described  by  Mr.  John  R.  Bartlett  in  his  "  Personal 
Narratives  "  of  the  Boundary  Commission  ;  thence  to 
Rattlesnake  Spring ;  thence  to  old  Fort  Breckenridge, 
which  had  been  so  cowardly  deserted  the  year  before 
by  our  regular  troops  ;  thence  to  Canon  de  Oro.  As 
we  now  approached  Tucson,  every  thing  was  infighting 
trim.  A  short  halt  was  made  near  the  town,  and 
the  cavalry  company,  in  two  divisions,  approached 
the  place  from  the  north  and  west.  The  infantry 
marched  in  by  the  main  street  from  the  west,  with 
the  field  music  playing  "Yankee  Doodle,"  and  in- 
stead of  being  received  by  shot  and  shell,  we  found 
neither  friend  nor  enemy,  only  a  village  without 
population,  if  we  except  some  hundreds  of  dogs  and 
cats. 

When  we  were  at  the  Pimos,  Governor  Pesquira, 
of  Sonora,  Mexico,  arrived  there  from  California  on 
his  way  home  ;  he  was  allowed  to  pass  our  lines ;  he 


DURING    THE   REBELLION.  25 

and  his  party  arrived  in  Tucson  a  few  days  before 
our  command,  and  found  the  place  nearly  deserted. 
Captain  Hunter,  with  his  rebel  soldiers,  were  far  on 
their  way  to  the  Rio  Grande,  and  as  they  had 
assured  the  native  population  —  wholly  Mexican  — 
that  when  the  "Abs  " —  meaning  the  Union  troops  — 
arrived  they  would  massacre  all  the  men  and  abuse 
all  the  women,  they  stood  not  upon  the  order  of 
going,  but  went  at  once  for  Sonora.  Governor  Pes- 
quira  hurried  forward,  overtaking  parties  of  the 
fugitives  each  day,  and  assuring  them  of  different 
treatment  from  the  Union  soldiers  than  they  had 
been  told  by  the  rebels,  induced  many  to  return  to 
their  homes,  and  within  a  week  Tucson  was  again 
alive ;  stores  and  gambling  saloons  were  numerous, 
the  military  had  taken  possession  of  the  best  build- 
ings in  the  town  for  quarters,  and  the  stars  and 
stripes  again  waved  over  the  Capital  of  the  Territory 
of  Arizona. 

The  advance  of  the  "Column"  entered  Tucson  on 
the  twentieth  day  of  May,  1862.       Several  Ameri- 
cans, among   them    Sylvester  Mo  wry,   formerly  of 
3 


26  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

Rhode  Island,  returned,  and  being  violent  in  their 
sympathies  with  the  rebellion,  were  arrested.  Some 
were  sent  out  of  the  Territory,  while  Mo  wry  was 
sent  to  Fort  Yuma,  where  he  remained  incarcerated 
a  long  time.  About  the  fifteenth  of  June,  Captain 
N.  S.  Davis  was  relieved  from  the  command  of  Com- 
pany K  by  Lieutenant  Pettis,  who  remained  in  com- 
mand, with  a  short  interval,  until  its  final  muster  out. 
Captain  Davis  was  on  duty  in  the  quartermaster's 
department.  By  the  first  of  July,  a  large  part  of 
the  "  Column"  had  arrived  at  Tucson,  a  large  depot 
of  army  stores  had  been  brought  from  California, 
and  preparations  were  commenced  for  the  movement 
again  of  the  advance  column .  Several  spies  and  scouts 
had  been  sent  forward  from  Tucson,  but  as  they 
had  not  returned,  matters  were  rather  uncertain. 
However,  in  the  first  week  in  July,  Company  E, 
First  California  Infantry,  Captain  Thomas  L.  Roberts, 
and  Company  B,  Second  California  Cavalry,  were 
ordered  to  proceed  to  Apache  Pass  and  hold  posses- 
sion of  the  water  at  that  point.  On  the  twentieth 
of  July  the  advance  column  left  Tucson,  and  on  the 
second  day  arrived  at  the  San  Pedro,  twenty-five 


DURING   THE   REBELLION.  27 

miles.  Here  a  delay  of  one  day  was  made  to  put 
the  fording  place  in  good  order  for  the  crossing  of 
the  "  Column."  Information  was  received  here  that 
•Captain  Roberts'  advance  into  the  Apache  Pass  had 
been  attacked  by  a  large  force  of  the  Apaches,  under 
the  renowned  chief,  "  Cochise,"  and  after  fighting 
during  an  entire  afternoon  had  succeeded  in  driving 
the  Indians,  with  a  loss  on  our  side  of  several  of  our 
men  killed  and  wounded. 

Our  next  march  was  to  Dragoon  Springs,  eighteen 
miles  ;  thence  to  Sulphur  Springs,  twenty-two  miles. 
The  famous  Apache  Pass  was  reached  by  another 
march  of  twenty-five  miles.  Here  was  found  the 
-command  of  Captain  Roberts,  with  evidences  of  the 
•struggle  of  a  few  days  before.  On  leaving  Apache 
Pass  the  next  day,  we  were  again  the  advance  of  the 
'"Column,"  which  position  was  retained  until  our 
arrival  on  the  Rio  Grande.  The  next  camping 
ground  was  at  San  Simon,  eighteen  miles.  As  we 
were  assured  by  our  guides  that  no  water  would  be 
found  until  we  reached  Ojo  de  Vaca,  or  Cow  Springs, 
a  distance  of  sixty-seven  miles,  it  was  deemed  advis- 
able to  leave  the  overland  route  at  this  point,  and 


28  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

proceed  by  another  route.  Accordingly,  the  next 
morning  the  command  moved  south,  following  up  the 
San  Simon  Valley,  a  distance  of  twelve  miles,  and 
camped  at  the  Cienega.  Here  was  found  water,  the 
best  and  most  abundant  on  the  whole  march.  Im- 
agine, if  you  can,  a  valley  twenty  miles  in  width,  on 
either  side  a  range  of  mountains ;  and  to  the  north 
and  south,  up  and  down  the  valley,  a  level  plain  as 
far  as  the  eye  could  reach.  A  trench  three  feet 
wide,  by  five  or  six  in  depth,  filled  nearly  to  the  top 
with  clear  cold  water,  running  with  a  velocity  of  at 
least  six  miles  an  hour,  the  bottom  covered  with 
white  smooth  pebbles.  Two  miles  above  this  point 
no  water  was  to  be  found.  As  you  descended  the 
valley  and  approached  this  water,  you  found  at  first 
the  ground  moist,  then  water  appeared,  a  mere  drop, 
then  a  small  stream  of  running  water,  which  increased 
in  volume,  until  you  found  a  stream  as  described 
above.  Below  this  point  the  water  gradually  les- 
sened, until,  two  miles  below,  this  magnificent  stream 
had  entirely  disappeared.  There  was  no  shade  to 
be  had  here,  except  that  found  under  the  wagon 
bodies,  still  there  was  no  fault  found  ;  the  fine  stream 


DURING    THE    REBELLION.  29 

of  water  that  we  were  enjoying  satisfied  us  for  all 
other  discomforts.  It  was  with  feelings  of  regret 
that  we  left  this  point  late  the  next  afternoon,  with 
•well  filled  canteens  ;  and  the  uncertainty  of  finding 
water  in  advance,  added  to  this  feeling.  We  arrived 
at  Leiteresdorffer's  Wells  soon  after  sunset,  but  no 
water  was  to  be  found.  The  march  was  continued 
during  the  night,  and  all  of  the  next  day,  until  we 
arrived  at  Soldier's  Farewell,  and  no  water.  The 
command  was  strung  out  a  distance  of  at  least  five 
miles  ;  we  had  been  marching  thirty  hours,  with  only 
a  canteen  each  of  water,  with  the  thermometer  at 
least  130.  A  large  number  of  the  men  had  given 
out  and  were  scattered  in  parties  of  three  or  four,  for 
a  dozen  miles  in  the  rear.  What  was  left  of  the 
command  moved  on,  and  after  leaving  the  wagon 
road,  we  arrived  in  Burro  Canon,  some  time  after 
dark,  where  plenty  of  water  was  found,  when,  after 
taking  in  a  fill,  turned  into  our  blankets,  entirely  for- 
getting our  hunger  in  our  weariness.  Company  K 
marched  into  Burro  Canon  with  less  than  ten  men 
out  of  eighty,  and  it  was  long  after  daylight  the  next 
day  before  the  whole  command  had  arrived.  A 


30  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

short  march  of  twelve  miles  brought  us  to  Ojo  de 
Baca ;  thence  eighteen  miles  to  the  Miembres  river. 

Our  next  march,  twenty-five  miles,  was  to  Cooke's 
Springs,  passing  through  Cooke's  Canon.  This 
location  was  known  by  Mexicans  as  La  Voile  del 
Muerto,  or  Valley  of  Death.  It  seemed  to  be 
rightly  named,  too,  as  for  nearly  two  miles  were  to 
be  seen,  on  either  side,  skulls  and  other  portions  of 
human  remains  who  had  fallen  by  Indian  assassina- 
tion. Mounds  and  crosses  were  met  every  few 
minutes.  As  we  emerged  from  this  triste  locality, 
we  encountered  the  remains  of  wagons  and  govern- 
ment stores,  that  had  been  destroyed  the  year  before 
by  the  regular  troops,  who  had  deserted  Forts  Bu- 
chanan and  Breckenridge,  in  Arizona.  When  they 
had  arrived  at  this  point,  they  were  informed  of  the 
surrender  of  the  regulars  at  Fort  Fillmore ;  conse- 
quently, without  further  inquiry,  they  destroyed  all 
the  government  property  they  had  in  charge,  and 
made  their  way,  on  the  west  side  of  the  Rio  Grande, 
to  Fort  Craig. 

The  next  march  brought  us  near  to  Mule  Springs, 
fifteen  miles ;  and  on  the  next  afternoon  could  be 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  31 

discovered,  in  the  distance,  the  green,  winding  way 
of  the  Eio  Grande,  with  the  Sierras  de  Organos  in 
the  background.  Camp  was  made  that  night  on  the 
banks  of  the  Eio  Bravo  del  Norte,  near  to  old  Fort 
Thorn.  The  next  march  was  down  the  west  bank  of 
the  river  to  the  fording  place,  known  as  San  Diego, 
which  you  will  find  set  down  on  all  maps  as  a  town 
or  village,  but  to  my  certain  knowledge,  up  to  the 
time  mentioned,  and  for  several  years  afterwards, 
there  was  but  one  house  in  the  vicinity,  and  that 
contained  but  one  room  and  no  roof.  As  the  river 
was  now,  the  third  of  August,  at  its  extreme  height, 
caused  by  the  melting  of  the  snow  in  the  upper 
Eocky  Mountains,  we  experienced  some  difficulty  in 
getting  our  wagons  and  stores  across ;  still  all  was 
completed  before  sundown,  and  the  next  day  we 
arrived  at  Eoblado,  near  the  town  of  Dona  Ana.  On 
the  fifth  of  August,  after  passing  through  the  villages 
of  Dona  Ana  and  Las  Cruces,  we  arrived  at  the 
pleasant  town  of  La  Mesilla. 

Here  was  to  be  our  resting  place.  We  found  a 
well-built  village,  with  a  numerous  population, 
mostly  Mexican.  The  rebels,  who  had  arrived  in 


32        «  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

the  Territory,  we  learned,  had,  after  the  treacherous 
surrender  of  the  regular  troops  at  Fort  Fillmore 
(directly  opposite  La  Mesilla) ,  marched  north.  They 
found  Fort  Craig  too  strong  to  be  attacked,  and, 
contrary  to  all  military  maxims,  had  continued  on, 
leaving  a  fortified  position  in  their  rear.  The  des- 
perate battle  of  Yal  Verde  had  taken  place  on  the 
twenty-first  and  twenty-second  of  February,  1862, 
a  short  distance  above  Fort  Craig.  And  as  long  as 
Major  Benny  Eoberts  had  command  of  the  Federal 
troops  they  were  successful,  but  when  General  E. 
R.  S.  Canby  came  on  the  field  and  took  command, 
the  rebels  soon  had  turned  the  tide  of  the  battle  in 
their  favor.  McRae's  battery  was  taken,  and  our 
troops  were  returning,  panic-stricken,  across  the 
river,  and  fleeing  towards  Fort  Craig,  about  three 
miles  down  the  river.  The  rebels  then  approached 
Albuquerque,  where  was  stored  a  large  amount  of 
government  stores,  which  were  surrendered  without 
a  struggle.  Thence  they  proceeded  to  Santa  F6, 
where,  without  opposition,  they  took  possession. 
There  was  one  other  fort  to  be  taken,  about  one 
hundred  miles  northwest — Fort  Union.  After  some 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  33 

delay  at  Santa  Fe",  the  rebels,  numbering  some  six- 
teen hundred,  set  out  for  Fort  Union.  At  Apache 
Pass,  or  Pigeon's  Ranch,  they  were  met  by  a  Colorado 
regiment,  with  what  regulars  and  militia  could  be 
found,  all  under  command  of  Colonel  John  P. 
Slough  (afterwards  chief  justice  of  the  Territory), 
and  were  defeated,  their  wagons,  ammunition, 'and 
all  their  stores  having  been  destroyed  by  a  party  of 
Union  troops  under  Captain  W.  H.  Lewis,  Fifth 
United  States  Infantry,  and  Captain  A.  B.  Cary,  of 
the  Third  United  States  Infantry,  who  scaled  a 
mountain  and  got  into  their  rear.  The  rebels  pre- 
cipitately retreated  from  this  point,  to  and  down  the 
Rio  Grande,  having  passed  La  Mesilla  a  few  weeks 
before  our  arrival,  and  left  the  Territory  with  about 
twelve  hundred  men  out  of  thirty-seven  hundred, 
that  they  had  arrived  with. 

The  different  companies  of  the  "Column,"  as  they 
arrived,  were  now  sent  to  different  points  in  the 
department.  Our  Colonel,  James  H.  Carleton,  had 
been  promoted  to  Brigadier  General,  and  had  relieved 
General  E.  R.  S.  Canby,  in  command  of  the  depart- 
ment of  New  Mexico.  The  regular  troops  were  all 


34  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

relieved,  except  the  Fifth  Infantry,  and  sent  east,  and 
a  protection  was  now  assured  to  the  population,  by 
the  California  Volunteers.  Lieutenant  Colonel  J. 
K.  West  was  now  promoted  to  Colonel  of  the  regi- 
ment, and  in  command  of  the  southern  district  of  the 
department.  Fine  quarters  were  found  for  the  com- 
mand in  the  village  of  La  Mesilla,  and  the  district 
was  under  martial  law.  Duty  was  really  pleasant 
here,  —  plenty  of  society,  with  frequent  bailes,  few 
drills,  and  plenty  of  everything  to  eat  and  drink. 
The  white  population  were  nearly  all  of  secession 
proclivities,  one  in  particular,  Samuel  L.  Jones 
(better  known  as  the  pro-slavery  Sheriff  Jones,  of 
Kansas),  who  resided  here,  was  arrested  usually 
about  once  a  week,  and  incarcerated  in  the  guard- 
house for  treasonable  utterances. 

After  a  protracted  season  of  this  duty,  or  up  to 
about  the  twentieth  of  November,  came  the  most 
unpleasant  part  of  the  history  of  Company  K.  There 
had  been  several  escapes  from  the  guard-house  of 
persons  who  had  been  imprisoned  for  treasonable 
utterances,  until  it  seemed  that  there  might  exist  a 
disposition  among  some  of  the  command  to  be  a 


DURING   THE    REBELLIOX.  35 

• 

party  to  these  frequent  escapades.  This  state  of 
affairs  existed  until  one  morning  an  escape  was 
reported  to  the  commanding  officer,  Colonel  West, 
who  immediately  ordered  the  sergeant  of  the  guard, 
with  sentinels  numbers  one,  two,  three,  four  and  five, 
who  were  on  duty  at  the  time,  to  be  placed  in  the 
guard-house,  in  irons.  It  so  happened  that  this  ser- 
geant and  all  the  sentinels  belonged  to  Company  K, 
and  at  the  morning  drill,  after  guard  mount,  the 
company  refused  to  do  further  duty,  or  until  the 
irons  were  taken  off  of  Sergeant  Miller.  The  soldier 
most  aggrieved  appeared  to  be  Corporal  Charles 
Smith,  or  rather  he  acted  as  spokesman  for  the  com- 
pany. The  company  was  immediately  ordered  into 
their  quarters  by  Lieutenant  Pettis,  and  put  under 
guard,  and  the  facts  reported .  to  the  commanding 
officer.  Orders  were  given  for  all  prisoners  to  be 
placed  in  the  guard-house  ;  Company  K  was  ordered 
to  proceed  to  the  plaza  or  parade  without  arms, 
when  the  long  roll  was  beat.  The  other  two  com- 
panies of  the  garrison  were  soon  on  the  plaza,  fully 
equipped.  Colonel  West  now  made  his  appearance, 
mounted ;  he  then  marched  Company  A,  Fifth  Cali- 


36  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

fornia  Infantry,  about  five  paces  in  front  of  and  fac- 
ing Company  K,  with  pieces  loaded,  and  at  a  "ready." 
He  then  called  Corporal  Smith  to  the  front,  and 
asked  him  if  he  still  persisted  in  refusing  to  do  his 
duty?  The  Corporal  respectfully,  but  firmly,  an- 
nounced that  he  would  do  no  duty  until  the  irons 
were  removed  from  Sergeant  Miller.  Company  D, 
First  California  Infantry,  had  been  wheeled  to  the 
right  out  of  line,  and  the  Corporal  was  now  ordered 
to  place  himself  about  six  paces  in  front  of  this  com- 
pany. Upon  his  again  refusing  to  do  duty,  Captain 
Mitchell,  of  Company  D,  was  ordered  to  fire  upon 
him.  This  order  was  unhesitatingly  obeyed  ;  and 
after  the  smoke  had  cleared  away,  it  was  seen  that 
the  Corporal  was  uninjured.  Not  so  with  some 
others.  The  position  of  Company  D  was  such  that 
it  was  facing  the  cathedral,  which  is  situated  on  the 
west  side  of  the  plaza ;  on  either  side  of  the  cathe- 
dral were  long  straight  streets,  running  from  the 
plaza ;  the  long  roll  and  the  other  preparations  had 
called  all  the  inhabitants  from  their  residences,  and 
the  result  of  the  first  volley  was  to  wound  two  invalid 
soldiers,  together  with  one  Mexican  woman  and  one 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  37 

child,  and  the  cathedral,  which  was  built  of  adobes, 
was  concealed  for  a  few  minutes  by  its  own  dust, 
caused  by  the  minie  balls  penetrating  its  front. 
The  Corporal  was  again  questioned  by  Colonel  West, 
who  returned  his  former  answer,  and  Company  D 
again  fired  a  volley,  but  the  Corporal  remained  un- 
touched. After  another  questioning  by  the  Colonel, 
Company  D  was  once  more  ordered  to  fire,  when, 
between  the  commands  "aim,"  "fire,"  Colonel  West 
rode  up  behind  the  company  with  uplifted  sabre,  and 
gave  the  command  to  "  lower  those  rifles,"  when  the 
command  was  given  by  the  Captain  to  "fire."  At 
this  discharge,  the  Corporal  fell  to  the  ground,  a 
minie  ball  having  passed  directly  through  him,  hav- 
ing entered  his  right  breast.  He  was  immediately 
placed  upon  a  stretcher,  and  expired  on  his  way  to 
the  hospital.  The  rest  of  the  company  was  now 
questioned  by  Colonel  West,  and  each  man  asserted 
his  willingness  to  do  his  duty,  when  the  command 
was  dismissed  to  their  quarters,  and  Company  K 
immediately  assumed  their  arms  and  accoutrements 
and  appeared  upon  the  plaza  for  drill.  This  was 
4 


38  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

the  only  evidence  of  insubordination  ever  shown  in 
the  "  Column,"  and  the  prompt  manner  in  which  this 
one  was  met  and  punished,  precluded  any  danger  of 
another  exhibition  of  this  character. 

A  few  days  after  these  occurrences,  some  of  our 
spies  and  scouts  brought  in  the  intelligence  that 
another  large  party  of  rebels  had  left  San  Antonio, 
Texas,  for  New  Mexico.  Accordingly,  Companies 
K  and  D  were  ordered  to  San  Elizario,  Texas,  a 
town  about  twenty-five  miles  below  El  Paso,  Mexico, 
and  the  last  point  of  civilization  towards  San 
Antonio,  on  outpost  duty.  After  remaining  here 
about  six  weeks,  and  no  rebels  appearing,  Company 
K  was  ordered  to  Fort  Craig.  A  march  of  twenty- 
five  miles  brought  us  to  Franklin  or  Fort  Bliss, 
directly  opposite  El  Paso ;  thence  two  marches, 
aggregating  fifty  miles,  found  us  in  our  old  quarters 
at  La  Mesilla,  where  the  company  was  ordered  to 
remain  until  the  adjournment  of  a  general  court- 
martial  which  was  then  in  session  at  that  post.  A 
week  later,  and  Company  K  commenced  its  march 
for  Fort  Craig.  A  short  march  brought  us  again  to 
Dona  Ana.  Three  miles  from  that  village  brought 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  39 

us  to  the  commencement  of  the  much  dreaded 
Jornada  del  Muerto  (Journey  of  Death).  The 
Jornada  is  a  large  desert,  well  supplied  with  fine 
gramma  grass  in  some  portions,  but  absolutely  desti- 
tue  of  water  or  shade  for  seventy-five  miles.  Why 
it  ever  received  its  title,  I  never  distinctly  learned, 
but  suppose  it  Was  on  account  of  the  very  numerous 
massacres  committed  on  it  by  the  Apache  Indians. 
On  the  east,  in  the  far  distance,  are  the  Sierras 
Blancos,  and  is  fringed  on  the  west  by  the  Sierra 
Caballo  and  Sierra  de  Frey  Cristobal.  From  these 
heights,  on  either  side,  the  Indians  are  enabled  to  dis- 
tinctly perceive  any  party  of  travellers  coming  over 
the  wide  and  unsheltered  expanse  of  the  Jornada 
del  Muerto.  When  any  such  parties  are  seen,  they 
come  sweeping  down  upon  the  unsuspecting  immi- 
grant in  more  than  usual  numbers,  and  if  successful, 
as  they  generally  are,  in  their  attack,  invariably 
destroy  all  of  the  party,  for  there  is  no  possible 
chance  of  escape ;  and  the  Apaches  never  take  any 
prisoners  but  women  and  young  children,  and  they 
become  captives  for  life. 

The  first  camp  was  a  dry  one,  and  as  the   com- 


40  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

mand  was  accompanied  by  a  tank  of  water,  drawn 
by  six  mules,  thus  being  prepared  by  a  plentiful 
supply  of  water,  I  concluded  to  cross  this  desert  at 
my  leisure.  The  next  forenoon  we  passed  by  the 
celebrated  "Point  of  Rocks,"  the  company  being 
deployed  as  skirmishers,  with  the  hope  of  finding 
Indians  hiding  between  the  huge  boulders  of  which 
it  was  composed,  but  without  results.  Late  in  the 
afternoon  we  arrived  at  the  Aleman,  so  called  from 
the  fact  that  a  whole  German  immigrant  family  had 
been  massacred  at  this  point  some  years  before  by 
the  Indians.  The  next  night  another  dry  camp, 
having  passed  during  the  day  the  Laguna  del  Muerto, 
where  water  is  found  in  some  seasons.  While  some 
three  miles  on  our  left  was  the  Ojo  del  Muerto,  a 
point  where  Fort  McRae  was  established  in  1863  by 
Captain  Henry  A.  Greene,  commanding  Company 
G,  First  California  Infantry,  now  a  resident  of  this 
city,  (Providence,  R.  I.)  The  next  day's  march 
brought  us  to  the  little  village  of  El  Paraje  del  Fra 
Cristobal.  Near  the  spot  on  which  the  camp  was 
made,  was  the  peaceful  flowing  and  muddy  Rio 
Grande.  A  short  march  of  five  miles  brought  us  to 


DURING    THE    REBELLION.  41 

our  destination  —  Fort  Craig.     Our  arrival  was  in 
January,  1863. 

The  company  remained  at  this  post  during  the 
year  1863,  monotony  of  garrison  life  being  relieved 
by  furnishing  escorts  to  wagon  trains  bound  north 
and  south,  and  an  occasional  scout  after  Indians.  In 
July  of  that  year,  Assistant  Surgeon  Watson,  who 
had  been  commissioned  at  Sacramento,  California, 
more  than  a  year  before,  and  had  been  ordered  to 
report  to  the  headquarters  of  his  regiment  at  Fort 
Craig,  arrived  at  Fort  McRae,  without  accident.  On 
leaving  that  post,  Captain  Greene  had  furnished  him 
with  one  government  wagon  and  an  escort  of  five  or 
six  men  of  his  company.  They  set  out  with  joyful 
anticipation ;  the  Doctor  was  delighted  to  know  that 
after  a  year's  travel,  he  would  soon  be  at  his  new 
home,  and  be  doing  duty  with  his  own  regiment, 
which  he  had  never  seen.  The  wagon,  with  its  occu- 
pants, soon  emerged  from  the  canon  of  the  Ojo  del 
Muerto,  and  came  out  on  the  hard,  smooth,  natural 
road  of  the  Jornada.  About  the  middle  of  the  after- 
noon, they  were  proceeding  leisurely  along;  twelve 
miles  in  advance  could  be  plainly  seen  the  buildings 


42  FROOTIER    SERVICE 

of  Fort  Craig,  with  "  Old  Glory  "  on  the  flag-staff. 
The  driver  of  the  team,  Johnson,  a  soldier  of  Greene's 
company,  sat  on  his  near  wheel-mule  chatting  pleas- 
antly with  the  Doctor,  who  occupied  the  front  of  the 
wagon,  with  his  feet  hanging  down  on  the  whiffle- 
trees ;  the  escort  were  all  in  the  wagon,  lying  on 
their  blankets,  with  their  arms  and  equipments 
beneath  them.  Within  five  miles  of  them  there  was 
not  a  rock,  tree,  shrub,  or  bush,  as  large  as  a  man's 
head — they  felt  a  perfect  security.  Another  mo- 
ment, how  changed  !  There  arose  from  the  sand  of 
the  desert,  where  they  had  buried  themselves,  some 
ten  or  twelve  Apaches,  within  twenty  feet  of  the 
moving  wagon,  and  poured  a  volley  of  arrows  into 
the  doomed  party,  and  closing  in  immediately,  a 
part  attacked  the  occupants  of  the  wagon,  w^hile  the 
rest  disengaged  the  mules,  and  mounting  their  backs 
started  for  the  mountains  on  the  west,  towards  the 
river,  and  before  the  soldiers  were  out  of  the  wagon 
were  out  of  reach  of  their  fire.  Doctor  Watson  was 
shot  with  two  arrows,  one  in  his  right  arm,  and  the 
other  on  the  inside  of  his  right  thigh,  severing  the 
femoral  artery.  He  breathed  his  last  in  a  few  min- 


DURING    THE    REBELLION.  43 

utes  ;  the  driver  was  shot  through  the  heart,  and  one 
or  two  of  the  escorts  were  slightly  wounded.  News 
of  this  affair  reached  the  post  before  sunset,  and  in 
twenty  minutes  Company  K  was  on  its  way  down 
the  west  side  of  the  river  to  intercept,  if  possible, 
these  murderers.  The  company  was  kept  in  the 
field  for  thirty  days,  without  other  result  than  to  find 
a  hot  trail  of  eighty-two  Navajoes,  who  were  on  their 
way  to  their  own  country,  with  some  eight  thousand 
head  of  sheep  and  other  stock  that  they  had  stolen 
in  the  upper  counties  of  New  Mexico.  As  the  com- 
pany were  dismounted,  it  was  impossible  to  take  up 
the  trail.  The  commander  of  the  company,  how- 
ever, with  five  cavalrymen  and  two  Mexican  scouts, 
followed  and  overtook  the  Indians  after  a  run  of 
twenty-five  miles,  but  accomplished  nothing  except 
exchanging  some  twenty  or  twenty-five  shots  on 
either  side,  as  our  animals  were  completely  "  blown," 
and  eighty-two  to  eight  was  an  unpleasant  disparity 
of  numbers.  The  lieutenant  and  his  men  arrived 
back  at  the  river  the  next  morning,  having  been  in 
the  saddle  nearly  twenty-four  hours.  The  result  of 
the  short  skirmish  was  that  one  of  the  cavalrymen's 


44  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

horses  was  shot  through  the  breast,  and  one  Navajo 
was  sent  to  his  happy  hunting-grounds  and  one  was 
wounded. 

January,  1864,  Company  K  was  ordered  to  Los 
Pinos,  about  one  hundred  miles  further  up  the  Rio 
Grande,  and  about  twenty  mjies  south  of  Albuquer- 
que ;  marching  through  the  towns  of  Socoreo,  La 
Limitar,  across  the  sand  hills  at  the  foot  of  the  Sierra 
de  los  Ladrones,  or  Thieves  Mountains ;  crossing 
the  Rio  Puerco,  near  its  affluence  with  the  Bio 
Grande  ;  thence  to  Sabinal,  La  Belen,  and  Los  Lunes. 
They  remained  here  until  the  first  of  February,  when 
Colonel  Kit  Carson  arrived  there  from  the  Navajo 
country,  with  some  two  hundred  and  fifty-three  Navajo 
Indians,  whom  he  had  taken  prisoners  in  his  opera- 
tions against  that  nation.  Orders  were  received 
from  department  headquarters  for  Company  K  to 
proceed  with  these  Indians  to  the  Bosque  Redonde, 
some  two  hundred  and  fifty  miles  down  on  the  Pecos 
river.  Accordingly,  after  formally  receiving  these 
prisoners  and  receipting  therefor,  the  command 
moved  out,  and  on  the  second  night  arrived  at  Carn- 
well  Caiion  ;  thence  to  San  Antonio,  San  Antoinette, 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  45 

Los  Placeres  and  Gallisteo.  Thus  far  the  command 
had  moved  across  the  country,  but  on  the  day  of  leav- 
ing Gallisteo,  the  company  struck  the  military  road 
leading  from  Fort  Union  to  Santa  F6,  near  the  old 
Peces  ruins.  The  command  moved  along  this  road 
to  the  village  of  Tecolote  ;  from  here  they  proceeded 
down  the  Pecos  river,  and  arrived  at  Fort  Suinner 
after  eighteen  days'  marching.  Fort  Sumner  was  a 
new  post,  established  for  the  purpose  of  a  reserva- 
tion for  Indians,  both  Navajo  and  Apache,  that 
should  be  taken  prisoners  by  the  troops,  and  Col- 
onel Carson  was  on  a  campaign  against  the  Navajos, 
in  which  he  was  successful,  as  there  were  finally 
some  eight  thousand  of  these  Indians  captured  and 
placed  on  this  reservation.  Those  brought  in  by 
Company  K  were  the  first  large  body  that  had 
arrived.  I  will  say  here,  in  parenthesis,  that  this  is 
the  only  way  to  treat  the  Indian  question ;  for  this 
Indian  nation  (the  Navajoes),  after  receiving  a 
severe  drubbing  by  Carson,  and  all  had  surrendered, 
were  finally  allowed  to  return  to  their  own  country, 
since  which  time  they  have  continued  on  the  best  of 
terms  with  our  people.  This  has  always  been  the 


46  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

experience  on  the  frontiers  —  one  effective  campaign 
is  better  than  all  the  treaties  that  were  ever  consum- 
mated. 

Fort  Sumner  was  at  this  time  in  command  of 
Major  Henry  D.  Wallen,  United  States  Seventh 
Infantry,  than  whom  there  was  no  more  excellent 
gentleman  in  the  service  of  the  government.  His 
administration  was  marked  by  a  sincere  desire  to  do 
justice  to  all  under  him,  a  feature  that  was  sadly 
deficient  in  too  many  officers  of  the  time  that  is 
spoken  of.  He  was  a  perfect  example  of  sobriety, 
and  his  case  certainly  was  a  commendation  of  the 
excellence  of  education  of  the  academy  at  West 
Point,  of  which  he  was  an  honored  graduate. 

Company  K  had  been  at  Fort  Sumner  but  a  few 
days  when  it  was  ordered  to  report  to  the  com- 
manding officer  at  Fort  Union,  necessitating  a  march 
of  one  hundred  and  twenty-five  miles.  The  com- 
mand arrived  at  Fort  Union  on  the  eighteenth  day  of 
March,  1864,  and  remained  there,  doing  camp  duty, 
during  the  months  of  April,  May  and  June.  In 
July,  the  company  proceeded,  with  a  company  of 
New  Mexican  cavalry,  towards  the  east,  by  the 


DURING    THE    KEBELLIOX.  47 

route  known  as  the  Cuinmarron  route,  passing  on 
our  way,  Burgwin's  Spring,  named  after  the  gallant 
Captain  Burgwin,  First  Regiment  United  States 
Dragoons,  who  fell  while  leading  the  attack  upon  the 
insurgents  at  Taos,  1847,  and  the  Wagon  Mound,  a 
high  landmark  (so  called  from  its  shape).  From 
this  point  to  the  "Point  of  Rocks,"  forty  miles,  is 
the  track  of  a  bloody,  brave  and  disastrous  fight 
made  by  eight  passengers  in  the  stage  against  a  band 
of  sixty  Apaches.  They  fought  every  inch  of  the 
long,  dread  struggle.  Killed  one  by  one,  and 
dropped  on  the  road,  two  survivors  maintained  their 
defense  a  long  time,  and  when  the  sole  contestant 
was  left,  his  last  dying  effort  was  to  strew  the  con- 
tents of  his  powder-horn  in  the  sand,  and  stir  it  in 
with  his  foot,  so  that  the  Indians  could  not  use  it. 
Wilson's  Creek,  some  miles  further  on,  is  named  _*MV:  t..  '  '•>' 
after  a  Mr.  Wilson,  a  merchant  of  Santa  F6",  who 
was  overtaken  here  by  the  Indians,  and,  with  his 
wife  and  child  —  for  he  was  alone  with  them  — 
butchered  with  the  usual  savage  outrage  and  cruelty. 
The  command  returned  to  Fort  Union  in  Septem- 
ber, in  which  month  the  First  Infantry,  California 


48  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

Volunteers,  was  mustered  out  of  service,  their  term 
of  three  years  having  expired,  with  the  exception  of 
Company  K,  it  being  recollected  that  they  were  en- 
listed at  San  Francisco  some  time  after  the  other 
companies  had  been  formed.  However,  the  mem- 
bers of  that  company  began,  in  October,  to  be 
dropped  out,  and  when  orders  arrived  at  Fort  Union 
for  the  formation  of  the  Commanche  expedition, 
under  Colonel  Kit  Carson,  there  remained  of  the 
First  Infantry  Regiment,  California  Volunteers,  one 
officer  (Lieutenant  Pettis)  and  twenty-six  enlisted 
men  of  Company  K.  This  company  accompanied 
Carson's  expedition  with  two  mountain  howitzers, 
mounted  on  prairie  carriages,  and  rendezvoued  at 
Fort  Bascom,  on  the  Canadian  river,  near  the  line  of 
Texas.  This  expedition  consisted  as  follows  :  Col- 
onel Christopher  Carson,  First  New  Mexico  Cavalry, 
commanding ;  Colonel  Francisco  P.  Abreii,  First 
New  Mexico  Infantry ;  Major  William  McCleave, 
First  California  Cavalry ;  Captain  Emil  Fritz,  Com- 
pany B,  First  California  Cavalry,  one  officer  and 
forty  enlisted  men ;  Lieutenant  Sullivan  Heath, 
Company  K,  First  California  Cavalry,  one  officer  and 


DURING   THE    REBELLION.  49 

forty  men;  Captain  Meriam,  Company  M,  First 
California  Cavalry,  one  officer  and  thirty-four  men ; 
Lieutenant  George  H.  Pettis,  Company  K,  First 
California  Infantry,  one  officer  and  twenty-six  men  ; 
Captain  Charles  Deus,  Company  M,  First  New 
Mexico  Cavalry,  two  officers  and  seventy  men ;  Cap- 
tain Joseph  Berney,  Company  D,  First  New  Mexico 
Cavalry,  two  officers  and  thirty-six  men ;  Company 
A,  First  California  Veteran  Infantry,  seventy-five 
men ;  Assistant  Surgeon  George  S.  Courtright, 
United  States  Volunteers,  and  an  officer  whose  name 
escapes  me,  as  Assistant  Quartermaster  and  Com- 
missary,—  numbering  in  all,  fourteen  officers  and 
three  hundred  and  twenty-one  enlisted  men.  In 
addition  to  the  command,  Colonel  Carson  had  induced 
seventy-two  friendly  Indians  (Utes  and  Apaches) ,  and 
as  big  scoundrels  as  there  were  on  the  frontiers,  by 
promising  them  all  the  plunder  that  they  might 
acquire,  to  join  the  expedition. 

On  the  sixth  of  November,  the  command  left  Fort 
Bascom,  and  proceeded  down  on  the  north  bank  of 
the   Canadian,  hoping  to  find  the   Comraanche  and 
5 


50  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

Kiowa  Indians  (who  had  been  committing  their 
atrocities  during  the  whole  of  1864)  in  their  winter 
quarters.  The  Indians  with  our  command,  on  every 
night,  after  making  camp,  being  now  on  the  war- 
path, indulged  in  the  accustomed  war  dance,  which, 
although  new  to  most  of  us,  became  almost  intoler- 
able, it  being  kept  up  each  night  until  nearly  day- 
break ;  and  until  we  became  accustomed  to  their 
groans  and  bowlings,  incident  to  the  dance,  it  was 
impossible  to  sleep.  Each  morning  of  our  march, 
two  of  our  Indians  would  be  sent  ahead  several  hours 
before  we  started,  who  would  return  to  camp  at  night 
and  report. 

We  had  been  on  our  march  day  after  day  without 
particular  incident  until  our  arrival  at  Mule  Creek, 
when  our  scouts  brought  in  the  intelligence  that  they 
had  seen  signs  of  a  large  body  of  Indians  that  had 
moved  that  day,  and  that  they  could  be  overtaken 
without  much  effort .  Immediately  after  supper,  all 
of  the  Cavalry,  with  Company  K,  moved  out  of  camp 
in  light  marching  order,  leaving  the  infantry,  under 
command  of  Colonel  Abreii,  to  protect  the  wagon 
train  and  proceed  on  our  trail  on  the  morrow.  Col- 


DURING    THE    REBELLION.  51 

onel  Carson  and  command  marched  all  night,  except 
a  short  halt  just  before  dawn,  and  struck  an  outpost 
of  the  enemy  on  the  opposite  side  of  the  river,  at 
about  sunrise,  who  being  mounted  retreated,  followed 
by  our  Indians  and  two  companies  of  our  Cavalry. 
The  rest  of  the  command  moved  down  on  the  north 
side  of  the  river,  and  a  few  miles  below  the  cavalry 
struck  a  Kiowa  rancheria  of  one  hundred  and  seventy- 
six  lodges,  the  Indians  retreating  down  the  river  on 
their  approach.  Company  K,  escorted  by  Lieuten- 
ant Heath's  command,  and  accompanied  by  Colonel 
Carson,  could  not  advance  with  the  rapidity  of  the 
cavalry,  as  the  cannoneers  were  dismounted,  and  the 
wheels  tracking  very  narrow,  caused  the  utmost 
attention  to  prevent  their  being  overturned.  The 
Indians  from  the  Kiowa  encampment  retreated  until 
they  were  reinforced  by  a  large  force  of  Commanches 
from  a  Commanche  rancheria  of  five  hundred  lodges, 
a  short  distance  below  the  "Adobe  Walls,"  a  location 
well  known  by  all  frontiersmen.  The  cavalry  made 
a  stand  here,  and  were  engaged  in  skirmishing  with 
the  enemy,  when  Company  K  came  on  the  field  with 
the  two  mountain  howitzers.  An  order  from  Colonel 


52  FRONTIER    SERVICE 

Carson  to  Lieutenant  Pettis  to  "fling  a  few  shell 
over  thar  ! "  indicating  with  his  hand  a  large  body 
of  Indians  who  appeared  to  be  about  to  charge  into 
our  forces,  that  officer  immediately  ordered  "Battery 
halt !  action  right,  load  with  shell  —  load  ! "  Before 
the  fourth  discharge  of  the  howitzers,  the  Indians 
had  retreated  out  of  range,  and  it  was  supposed  that 
there  would  be  no  more  fighting ;  but  we  counted 
without  our  host,  for  our  animals  had  scarcely  been 
watered  when  the  enemy  returned  to  the  conflict. 
The  horses  of  the  cavalry  were  again  placed  in  the 
"Adobe  Walls,"  which  were  elevated  enough  to  pro- 
tect them  from  the  rifle  balls  of  the  enemy,  and  the 
fight  was  soon  at  its  height. 

About  the  middle  of  the  afternoon,  Carson  con- 
cluded to  return  to  the  Kiowa  village  that  we  had 
passed  through  in  the  morning,  contrary  to  the 
wishes  of  his  officers,  who  were  anxious  to  advance 
to  the  Commanche  village,  which  was  less  than  a 
mile  in  our  front.  The  return  column  consisted  of 
the  cavalry  horses,  the  number  four  of  each  set  of 
fours  leading  the  other  three  horses,  with  the  howit- 
zers in  the  rear,  the  dismounted  cavalry  acting  as 


DURING    THE    REBELLION.  53 

skirmishers  on  the  front,  rear  and  either  flank.  The 
firing  was  continued  from  each  side  until  the  village 
was  reached,  when  our  troops  proceeded  to  destroy 
it,  which  was  effectually  done  before  dark. 

A  further  inarch  of  about  four  miles,  and  the 
wagon  train  was  reached,  the  safety  of  which  had 
been  the  subject  of  much  anxiety  during  the  day. 
The  gun  carriages  and  ammunition  carts  of  Company 
K  were  packed  with  the  wounded  on  their  return 
from  the  Kiowa  village.  A  rest  was  had  the  next 
day,  which  was  sadly  needed,  as  the  whole  command 
had  been  marching  and  fighting  about  twenty-seven 
hours,  on  a  few  broken  hard  tack  and  a  slice  of  salt 
pork  each.  The  second  day  after  the  fight,  Carson 
concluded  to  return  to  Fort  Bascom,  which  post  was 
reached  in  twenty-one  days.  Here  the  command 
remained  until  orders  were  received  from  General 
Carleton,  commanding  the  department,  and  Company 
K  was  ordered  to  Fort  Union,  as  the  term  of  service 
of  nearly  all  the  men  had  expired.  By  the  first  of 
February,  1865,  all  the  enlisted  men  of  the  company 
had  been  mustered  out  of  service,  and  Lieutenant 
Pettis,  the  last  man  of  his  regiment,  was  ordered  to 


54  FRONTIER   SERVICE 

report  to  the  mustering  officer  at  Santa  F6,  with  all 
the  records  of  his  company ;  and  on  the  fifteenth  of 
February,  he  was  mustered  out  of  service,  and  Com- 
pany K,  First  Infantry,  California  Volunteers,  had 
ceased  to  exist,  having  marched  on  foot  during  its 
term  of  service  four  thousand  two  hundred  and  forty- 
five  miles. 


